"One of the first ten Catholic priests, the fourth official Catholic chaplain and the first member of a religious order, to minister in Australia."

Australian Dictionary of Biography entry:https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/dowling-christopher-vincent-3435

Death of Father Dowling, Freeman’s Journal, Sydney, Saturday, 20 December 1873, p 10, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article128805846:

Death of Father Dowling.—We regret to have to announce the death of a venerable priest, well known to many of our old colonists. Father Dowling died at his residence Newcastle on Sunday last, after an illness of about ten days duration, at the advanced age of eighty-four years. He had, we understand, been for a long time on the Maitland mission, but from old age has been incapable of doing duty for some years. Father Dowling was known to nearly all the inhabitants of the Hunter district and most of the visitors to Newcastle did not fail to make his acquaintance. The estimation in which he was held, is indicated by the fact that on Monday when his death was reported, the flags of the shipping in the harbour were hoisted half-mast high as a mark of respect, and several shopkeepers of the town had their business places closed. The funeral took place on Tuesday. Father Dowling is buried in the cemetery West Maitland. A solemn Mass and Dirge de Requiem for the eternal repose of his soul was said on Friday morning in St. Mary's pro-cathedral. The Most Rev. Dr. Vaughan, Coadjutor-Archbishop, presided. The celebrant was the Venerable Archdeacon Rigney,—deacons, Rev. Messrs. Birch and Walsh, cantors, the Very Rev. S.J.A. Sheehy, V.G., the Very Rev. Prior Dwyer, Dr. Barsanti, and Rev. V. Colletti. Within the sanctuary we also observed the Very Rev. Deans Forde and Sheridan, Revs. J.P Roach (Campbelltown), Thomas Leonard (Singleton), P.J. Mahony, E. Forde, A.W. Gillet, B. Callachor, and G. Leeming.